Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits

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dc.contributor.authorvan Dijk, Reneen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorPogany, Akosen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKomdeur, Janen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLloyd, Pennen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSzekely, Tamasen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-28T07:02:54Z
dc.date.available2015-10-28T07:02:54Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND:The evolutionary interests of males and females rarely coincide (sexual conflict), and these conflicting interests influence morphology, behavior and speciation in various organisms. We examined consequences of variation in sexual conflict in two closely-related passerine birds with contrasting breeding systems: the Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus (EPT) exhibiting a highly polygamous breeding system with sexually antagonistic interests over parental care, and the socially monogamous Cape penduline tit Anthoscopus minutus (CPT). We derived four a priori predictions from sexual conflict theory and tested these using data collected in Central Europe (EPT) and South Africa (CPT). Firstly, we predicted that EPTs exhibit more sexually dimorphic plumage than CPTs due to more intense sexual selection. Secondly, we expected brighter EPT males to provide less care than duller males. Thirdly, since song is a sexually selected trait in many birds, male EPTs were expected to exhibit more complex songs than CPT males. Finally, intense sexual conflict in EPT was expected to lead to low nest attendance as an indication of sexually antagonistic interests, whereas we expected more cooperation between parents in CPT consistent with their socially monogamous breeding system. RESULTS: Consistent with our predictions EPTs exhibited greater sexual dimorphism in plumage and more complex song than CPTs, and brighter EPT males provided less care than duller ones. EPT parents attended the nest less frequently and less simultaneously than CPT parents. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with sexual conflict theory: species in which sexual conflict is more manifested (EPT) exhibited a stronger sexual dimorphism and more elaborated sexually selected traits than species with less intense sexual conflict (CPT). Our results are also consistent with the notion that EPTs attempt to force their partner to work harder as expected under sexual conflict: each member of the breeding pair attempts to shift the costs of care to the other parent. More brightly colored males benefit more from desertion than dull ones, because they are more likely to remate with a new female. Taken together, the comparison between two closely related species with contrasting breeding systems suggest that sexual conflict over care has influenced the evolution of behavior and morphology in penduline tits.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationvan Dijk, R., Pogany, A., Komdeur, J., Lloyd, P., & Szekely, T. (2010). Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits. <i>BMC Evolutionary Biology</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14460en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationvan Dijk, Rene, Akos Pogany, Jan Komdeur, Penn Lloyd, and Tamas Szekely "Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits." <i>BMC Evolutionary Biology</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14460en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVan Dijk, R. E., Pogány, Á., Komdeur, J., Lloyd, P., & Székely, T. (2010). Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits. BMC evolutionary biology, 10(1), 107.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - van Dijk, Rene AU - Pogany, Akos AU - Komdeur, Jan AU - Lloyd, Penn AU - Szekely, Tamas AB - BACKGROUND:The evolutionary interests of males and females rarely coincide (sexual conflict), and these conflicting interests influence morphology, behavior and speciation in various organisms. We examined consequences of variation in sexual conflict in two closely-related passerine birds with contrasting breeding systems: the Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus (EPT) exhibiting a highly polygamous breeding system with sexually antagonistic interests over parental care, and the socially monogamous Cape penduline tit Anthoscopus minutus (CPT). We derived four a priori predictions from sexual conflict theory and tested these using data collected in Central Europe (EPT) and South Africa (CPT). Firstly, we predicted that EPTs exhibit more sexually dimorphic plumage than CPTs due to more intense sexual selection. Secondly, we expected brighter EPT males to provide less care than duller males. Thirdly, since song is a sexually selected trait in many birds, male EPTs were expected to exhibit more complex songs than CPT males. Finally, intense sexual conflict in EPT was expected to lead to low nest attendance as an indication of sexually antagonistic interests, whereas we expected more cooperation between parents in CPT consistent with their socially monogamous breeding system. RESULTS: Consistent with our predictions EPTs exhibited greater sexual dimorphism in plumage and more complex song than CPTs, and brighter EPT males provided less care than duller ones. EPT parents attended the nest less frequently and less simultaneously than CPT parents. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with sexual conflict theory: species in which sexual conflict is more manifested (EPT) exhibited a stronger sexual dimorphism and more elaborated sexually selected traits than species with less intense sexual conflict (CPT). Our results are also consistent with the notion that EPTs attempt to force their partner to work harder as expected under sexual conflict: each member of the breeding pair attempts to shift the costs of care to the other parent. More brightly colored males benefit more from desertion than dull ones, because they are more likely to remate with a new female. Taken together, the comparison between two closely related species with contrasting breeding systems suggest that sexual conflict over care has influenced the evolution of behavior and morphology in penduline tits. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1471-2148-10-107 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - BMC Evolutionary Biology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 T1 - Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits TI - Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14460 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14460
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-10-107
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationvan Dijk R, Pogany A, Komdeur J, Lloyd P, Szekely T. Sexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline tits. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14460.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licenseen_ZA
dc.rights.holder2010 van Dijk et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.en_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0en_ZA
dc.sourceBMC Evolutionary Biologyen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcevolbiol/en_ZA
dc.subject.otherOrnithologyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPasseriformesen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSex Characteristicsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSexual Behavior, Animalen_ZA
dc.titleSexual conflict predicts morphology and behavior in two species of penduline titsen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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